Shiva

THE ILLUSION OF EXPERIENCES

Articles, Philosophy, Sadhana, ShivaAugust 11, 2019824Views 5Likes 1Comment

To be alive is to have experiences. But the only test of the authenticity or otherwise of an experience is the impact it leaves. Very often in spirituality experiences are nothing more than a projection of ones own deepest desires. There are often people who claim to have visions of deities or saints or other holy characters…

MAHAKALA

Articles, Sadhana, Shiva, TantraAugust 11, 2019470Views 2Likes 1Comment

Of the 12 jyotirlingas of Shiva, Ujjain is the place where Shiva appears as Mahakala. This form of Shiva is closely linked to hs Southern face of Aghora (meaning non-terrible where samsara is considered as terrible), the element of fire, and inspiration for the non-mainstream path of Yoga which goes by the name of Aghora. Though…

THREE SAIVA SAMPRADAYA-S AND AGHORASHIVA

Articles, ShivaDecember 7, 2018380Views 0Likes 0Comments

It is believed that there are twenty-eight primary Saiva Siddhanta texts and over 200 upagamas (smaller texts) which define the rituals and methods to be employed in the worship of Sadasiva in temples. Many of the Agamas are now extant only in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. Description of temple rituals and the correct acara…

Jvaradeva

Articles, ShivaSeptember 1, 2018208Views 0Likes 0Comments

One of the lesser known gods in the Saiva pantheon is called Jvaradeva - god of fever. He is depicted as three-armed, three-legged and when he would attack an individual their body temperature would increase to uncomfortable levels. Later on jvara deva was paired with Sitala or goddess of smallpox. The story of his origin…

Jageshwar: Shiva as Lord of Nagas

Articles, ShivaJune 1, 2018243Views 0Likes 0Comments

Deep inside the Deodar forest near Almora in Kumaon region there is a 7th century temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva. Deodars are considered extremely sacred among trees, and areas where such forests exist (Western Himalayas from Gandak river in central Nepal) have a pure and rare energy. The Jageshwar temple complex consists over 100…

On Mahashivaratri

Articles, ShivaMay 22, 2018203Views 2Likes 0Comments

असित-गिरि-समं स्यात्‌ कज्जलं सिन्धु-पात्रे सुर-तरुवर-शाखा लेखनी पत्रमुर्वी। लिखति यदि गृहीत्वा शारदा सर्वकालं तदपि तव गुणानामीश पारं न याति॥ O, great master! Even, if one were to assume that the blue mountain, the ocean, the heavenly tree, Parijata, and the earth are the ink, the ink-pot, the pen and the paper respectively and the goddess of learning (Saraswati)…

Mahākāla

Articles, ShivaMay 21, 2018242Views 0Likes 0Comments

Mahākāla is a common deity in Hinduism and Buddhism. With the decline of the Pashupata and other Saiva sects, worship of Mahakala become restricted to the Kali Kula in Hinduism. Mahā (महत्; "great") and kāla (काल; "time/death") literally means One who is beyond Time. It is essentially Shiva but more limitless than the normal conception of…

Nataraja

Articles, ShivaMay 13, 2018211Views 0Likes 0Comments

The Thirumantiram is a classic spiritual poetry from the 5th century by Thirumular, and one of the first books to use the term Shaiva Siddhanta. Scholars believe that the veneration of Lord Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer and Lord of Dance, Nataraja, starting from South Indian Saiva traditions. Every shade of every iconography of a…

Hanuman

Articles, ShivaApril 22, 2018250Views 1Like 0Comments

The Valmiki Ramayana describes Hanuman as a mahapandita (great scholar), Mahavira (of tremendous valor), a master of Veda-s and Vedanga. He is also described later as Bajrang, one who has a body as strong as lightning. By the 10th century Hanuman was regarded as an amsa of Shiva and this association is reflected in…

Rudra

Articles, ShivaApril 21, 2018226Views 1Like 0Comments

namo bhavāya cha rudrāya cha namaḥ śarvāya cha paśupataye cha namo nīlagrīvāya cha śitikaṇṭhāya cha namaḥ kapardine cha vyuptakeshāya cha namaḥ sahasrākṣāya cha śatadhanvane cha namo girīśāya cha śipiviṣṭāya cha ...[5th Anuvaka of Rudram ] Prostration to the one who is the most dear (pleasant), to the one who is the most dreaded terroriser…

Bhairava

Articles, ShivaApril 21, 2018370Views 0Likes 0Comments

Bhairava holds within Himself the entire universe by reducing all the shaktis to sameness with Himself and inasmuch as He completely devours within Himself the entire mass of ideation which is responsible for sense of difference - Shiva Sutras. [ Shiva Sutras are a collection of seventy seven aphorisms that are foundational to the tradition…